Before the start of the Stanley Cup, a striker from Siberia may appear as part of the Chicago.

Forward of the Russian national team and Novosibirsk "Siberia" Maxim Shalunov can join the Chicago club at the start of the NHL playoffs. Such an opinion to the Athletic portal was expressed by an agent of 24-year-old player Shumi Babaev.

Shalunov was chosen "Chicago" in the draft in 2013 under the 109th number. Maxim conducted training in the team training camp, but did not get into its composition, speaking in the farm club (2013/14). In 2014, he returned to the KHL, but the rights to the player in the NHL remained with Chicago.

“This is possible. We just need to talk with the leadership of Siberia in this situation. As I said, there is a 90 percent chance that we will stay in Russia. But if not, the option is possible,” Babaev said.

The agent also noted that he does not know whether Siberia will release a hockey player, whose contract will end only on April 30. The Novosibirsk ended the KHL season in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, without falling into the Gagarin Cup.

This season, the KHL Shalunov spent 49 matches for Siberia, in which he scored 37 (19 goals + 18 assists) points. As part of the Russian national team, Shalunov became a bronze medalist of the junior (2010) and youth (2013) world championships, and then repeatedly called under the banners of the country's main team to the stages of Eurotour.